Canada counters Trump's lake renaming with symbolic sign

Canada erected a sign reading "Lake Ontario. Now and Always" near Grimsby, Ontario, in response to Trump's executive order renaming the lake as Lake America. Trump posted a video of himself kicking over a sign and replacing it with a Lake America sign. The dispute is tied to a trade war involving tariffs on steel.

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The renaming order, issued Thursday, directs US federal agencies to adopt "Lake America" in official communications, mirroring Trump's earlier Gulf of Mexico action. Google Maps has implemented the change for US-based users while preserving "Lake Ontario" for Canadian viewers and showing both designations internationally, citing its policy of reflecting official government sources.

Canadian officials have anchored their resistance in the lake's Indigenous etymology, noting the name stems from a Wendat word meaning "the lake is beautiful, the lake is great," with roots spanning over four centuries. The symbolic confrontation unfolds against a backdrop of stalled trade negotiations, with a 50% US tariff on Canadian steel and Ottawa's retaliatory duties still unresolved.

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